A couple weeks in England - Bath and a dip into the Cotswolds

Bath was as expected. Interesting, charming and great food. All three restaurants we visited were worth the price. Our B&B host (at the Marlborough Guest House) recommended that we book several weeks in advance. All three were crowded when we arrived at 5:30 - 6:00 and even more so when we left. The Scallop Shell was really good; the upstairs may have an outdoor deck (I didn’t notice), but we sat in a fully enclosed and less busy room there. The downside is the décor; you miss the open kitchen and seafood display. It has a steep staircase up to the second floor. Ditto on Sotto Sotto, although it is down into the basement (duh, hence the name Sotto Sotto). The food there was slightly above restaurant-Italian, but certainly respectable. Third night was The Garrick’s Head Pub. Plan to enjoy or at least listen to conversations on both sides of your table. We had to take turns separating three tables for two just to sit down. The food was standard pub fare, although the veggie burger I had was disappointing - -considerably more bun that burger. The major sites were as expected, not too crowded, and we found them all interesting and worthwhile. Host Peter was very forthcoming with ideas, information, and welcoming touches. He really is in his element in hosting a B&B. The City of Bath Guided Tour group was large, but they did form a second group when the number exceeded 25. Sadly, we had to ditch the last bit, No. 1 Royal Crescent, as hubby didn’t feel he could make the climb up there again after our visit the previous day.
Before leaving Bath, we fit in a day-long tour of the Cotswolds, covering a few villages and a country drive (which does take considerably longer than you’d expect due to the traffic and two-lane roads). We hired a private driver for the day (Roman Bath Private Hire Limos), as I had a specific itinerary and we like the freedom of stopping unexpectedly road side and flexibility to stay longer when it appeals and not having to keep to someone else’s time limitations. I was told that the driver would be strictly that, so we were pleased that he was very outgoing and happy to answer questions and share experiences. I can strongly recommend Castle Combe, which was empty, scenic, and a fairly close drive from Bath. We stopped at Burbury, but should have believed that it is overhyped. We could have spent the time elsewhere without a loss. The driver fit in one of his favorites, unscheduled, Tetbury, close to Highgrove, but it was a bit larger than I would have liked. Nevertheless, the cathedral was nice and the docent there happy to welcome us. We were largely alone so perhaps she was a bit lonely!
Next was Bourton-on-the-Wolds. He stopped briefly at a large supermarket on the outskirts of town, where we picked up lunch to enjoy by the canal. Finally sunny, it was a pleasant way to spend an hour. The waterwheel shop is closing and was in the final throes of a liquidation sale. Dad is retiring and daughter is pregnant and they have decided to start a new chapter. I didn’t ask what would happen to the shop and wheel. Sorry.